Ronda Rousey Finally Breaks Her Silence After Getting Knocked Out

When Holly Holm’s brutal kick connected with Ronda Rousey’s head, it was the knockout heard around the world. Anyone who tells you they genuinely thought Holm would beat the then-undefeated Rousey is probably lying. Rousey was expected to steamroll Holm, just like she’s done to every other opponent she’d faced. Instead, one of the biggest sports upsets in recent memory unfolded in stunning fashion.

After suffering such a jarring defeat, Rousey understandably took some time away from the media to compose herself. Her lone venture into the public spotlight was an Instagram post letting her fans know she was okay. Until now.

Rousey has been placed on the cover ESPN The Magazine’s “Ideas of the Year” issue, and she also sat down with the publication for her first interview since she faced Holm. The issue doesn’t hit newsstands until Friday, but People released a preview on Wednesday.

In it, Rousey reveals in painful detail what her post fight recovery has been like and will be like down the road. The UFC star noted that the crash from untouchable to mere mortal has left her “really f—ing sad.” She also also describes her injuries, saying “It might be three to six months before I can eat an apple, let alone take an impact.”

Rousey touched on what makes her such a polarizing figure. She has legions of fans, but was also met with some harsh criticism from people like 50 Cent and Donald Trump after her defeat. “Most people get scared away from having an opinion. It’s not so much my opinions everybody relates to, it’s that I don’t care about being punished for it,” she said.

It’s clear that Rousey won’t be stepping back into the ring for a while, but the UFC President Dana White has already said a rematch with Holm “is going to happen.”